Spanish · Cafetería / bar
You look for a free table: what to say in Spanish
You look for a free table.
💡
How it's done. In bars and on terraces you choose your own table; if none, say ¿Hay alguna mesa libre?; you can sit at the counter (en la barra), where it's cheaper.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Buenas tardes, ¿hay alguna mesa libre?
Boo-EH-nuhs TAHR-des, igh uhl-GOO-nuh MEH-suh LEE-breh?
Good afternoon, is there a free table?
THEY SAY
Sí, en la terraza o dentro.See, en lah tehr-RAH-suh oh DAYN-troh.
Yes, on the terrace or inside.
They might also say:
Sí, fuera hay sitio, y dentro también.
See, foo-EH-ruh igh SEE-tyoh, ee DAYN-troh tuhm-BYAYN.
Yes, there's room outside, and inside too.
2
YOU REPLY
En la terraza, por favor.
En lah tehr-RAH-suh, por fuh-BOR.
On the terrace, please.
THEY SAY
Siéntese donde quiera. Ahora le atiendo.SYAYN-teh-seh DOHN-deh KYEH-ruh. Uh-OH-ruh leh uh-TYAYN-doh.
Sit wherever you like. I'll serve you now.
3
YOU FINISH
Muchas gracias.
MOO-chuhs GRAH-syuhs.
Thank you very much.
THEY SAY
De nada. Ahora le traigo la carta.Deh NAH-duh. Uh-OH-ruh leh TRIGH-goh lah KAHR-tuh.
You're welcome. I'll bring you the menu now.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “Spanish for life in Spain”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Buenas
Boo-EH-nuhs
adjective
good (feminine plural)
tardes
TAHR-des
noun
afternoons, evenings
mesa
MEH-suh
noun
table
libre
LEE-breh
adjective
free, available
Sí
See
adverb
yes
terraza
tehr-RAH-suh
noun
terrace
19 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh reh-peh-TEER-loh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you repeat that, please?
¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?
Poo-EH-deh uh-BLAHR mahs des-PAH-syoh, por fuh-BOR?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
¿Qué significa esto?
Keh seeg-nee-FEE-kuh ES-toh?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
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